This slow cooker pork tenderloin is simmered in a garlic and herb gravy and produces perfect results every time. An easy crock pot dinner that the whole family will love.
Pork tenderloin in an inexpensive cut of meat that’s tender and full of flavor. It gets even better when you slow cook it with plenty of seasonings. Slice and serve for an amazing meal! I serve my pork tenderloin with a side of homemade Rice-A-Roni and roasted carrots for a complete dinner. If you love comfort food crock pot meals as much as I do, be sure to also check out my slow cooker beef bourguignon!
I know that pork tenderloin can be a little intimidating if you’ve never made it before. However, this slow cooker pork tenderloin recipe will make it seem like it’s any other classic dish you’ve made a thousand times. It’s much easier than it first appears.
Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
This recipe is made with pork tenderloin, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, cornstarch, butter and parsley.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SLOW COOKER PORK TENDERLOIN?
The first step is to season your meat and give it a good sear before placing it in the crock pot. If you’re short on time and don’t want to brown your pork first, you can place directly in the slow cooker and skip this step. I think it’s really worth the extra effort though because it adds so much more flavor.
The pork goes into the slow cooker with a whole bunch of flavorings like garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth and herbs. This forms the base of the gravy. The gravy is thickened at the end of the cooking time and fortified with a little butter to give it some richness. I serve my slow cooker pork tenderloin over rice or mashed potatoes to make the most out of all that delicious gravy.
Tips for Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
- This crock pot pork tenderloin recipe calls for 2 tenderloins, but can easily be halved to feed a smaller group. You can cut the pork in half to fit into the crock pot as needed, or you can use an oval shaped slow cooker.
- Make sure that you’re using pork tenderloin, not pork loin. They are two different cuts of meat.
- I recommend serving this dish with bread on the side to sop up all the pan juices. A green salad or steamed vegetable is also a welcome addition to the meal. You can even get creative and choose something like a fresh and unique fennel salad. More great side dishes to try include roasted mushrooms and candied sweet potatoes.
- Leftover pork can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The leftovers make for an awesome sandwich!
Recipe FAQs
The amount of time you cook a pork loin depends on the weight of the meat. Most often, it averages about two hours of slow cooker time per 1 pound of pork tenderloin.
It’s definitely not a must that the pork tenderloin needs to be seared before it is slow cooked. However, when the meat is seared, it allows for more complex flavors to be released when the slow cooking process is in progress. If a portion of meat is sear with a coating of flour before slow cooking, this helps thicken the sauce in the crock pot dish.
The great this about this lean cut of meat is because it’s naturally tender, it can be enjoyed in many different cooking methods. This slow cooker pork tenderloin is especially flavorful, but you can also pan sear, air fry, grill or roast pork tenderloin.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Seasonings: Feel free to add other spices to the gravy mixture such as onion powder, garlic powder or paprika.
- Herbs: You can add some fresh herbs to the crock pot for extra flavor. I recommend adding a few sprigs of fresh thyme, or a little chopped oregano.
- Add-Ins: You can add some vegetables like carrots, onions, mushrooms or potatoes to the crock pot. Just be sure to cut them in large pieces so that they don’t get overly soft after the long cooking time. If you prefer your veggies to be on the firmer side, add them during the last 2 hours of the cook time.
Back in the day, I had no idea how to cook a pork tenderloin and didn’t even know where to start. Now, it’s one of the easiest dishes I make and the entire family loves it. I have no doubt you will thoroughly enjoy it as much as we did.
MORE PORK RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin Video
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided use
- 2 pork tenderloins approximately 2 1/4 lbs total
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.
- Season the pork tenderloins on all sides with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Cut the pork tenderloins in half if needed to fit into your slow cooker.
- Sear the pork for 5-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and garlic.
- Pour the sauce over the pork. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a plate; cover with foil to keep warm.
- Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a pot. Heat the pot over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the cornstarch to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 1 minute, or until sauce has just thickened.
- Add the butter to the pot and stir until melted. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Slice or shred your pork and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- If you’re short on time, you can skip browning the meat and simply season your pork and add it straight to the slow cooker.
- Make sure you are using pork tenderloin, not pork loin, as they are two different cuts of meat.
This recipe was great! Honestly, it was my first attempt at a pork tenderloin. I try to pick recipes using common household ingredients on hand, so this one appealed to me. I used a filet center cut from Aldi’s that was just under 2 pounds. The only modifications were the suggestion from another post to add sweet and golden potatoes, and I use Bragg’s Amino Acids in place of soy sauce for less sodium. I placed in the cooker on high for 1 hour and then slow cooked for the other 3 hours. SO tender and was a great Mother’s Day meal for a small gathering!
I’m trying to make this with four pieces of tenderloin (two packages) weighing 4 3/4 lbs total. So each is just over a pound, all in the same crockpot. Does this matter for cooking times? Am I cooking it as 4 3/4 pounds of pork or as if it’s 1lbs since pieces are that size? I don’t trust my thermometer %100 and don’t want to keep checking temp every 20 minutes. Help please?
This recipe is amazing, i make it all the time and it’s adored by 2 small boys also! I add in sliced onion and Apple and it makes the most delicious gravy/sauce. Thank you for sharing x
Can I make this recipe and freeze it for about a month? I have already made it a few times and LOVE it but am going away for a while and want to leave some meals for my children to simply thaw and heat up.
Yes that should be fine!
This was delicious! My picky kids ate it happily! The gravy was a great addition to mashed potatoes on the side!
I tried this added sliced onions, sweet potatoes, Yukon potatoes
Tasted fantastic
Right combination of spices and the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar👍😉😋
This was delicious! My husband raved about it… The only thing I changed was sautéed slice Cremini mushrooms and sliced up a sweet onion added it to the crockpot. This will definitely be a regular for dinner! Thanks so much for sharing it!
This was delicious! The pork was so tender and flavorful and the gravy really made it complete. Loved that gravy! I cooked on high for one hour and on low for three. Turned out perfect. I served with mashed potatoes, roasted green beans and a salad. A new favorite meal.
Make this tonight for dinner it was very good, hubby liked it too but it was a little dry so next time I’ll take out the meat an make the gravy then add the meat back to the crockpot
I made this exactly according to recipe and it was delicious! Without the gravy, it was just good, but the gravy added a savory flavor! My husband and teenage boys ate it up. Served with roasted potatoes.
Thank you for all of the delicious, easy slow cooker recipes (have also made the Mongolian beef and chicken thighs recipes) – they’ve been a savior during the pandemic!
I don’t have soy sauce is there something else I can use .
You could try a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire sauce but I haven’t tested it this way!
Made this tonight and it was a hit with my family. I don’t usually cook a lot of crock pot recipes but I had 2 tenderloins and thought I would give it a try. Followed it exactly. Although I did strain the liquid for a more silky gravy. Served over mashed potatoes with broccoli on the side. Everyone was happy!
Made this tonight and it was a huge hit at my house. I cooked on low for 5 hours and it temped at 190 so it was a little dry. Didn’t have corn starch so I used flour to thicken the gravy. Next time I make this I’ll do low for 4 hours. Even slightly dry the flavor was wonderful!
Would it work to double the sauce?
Yes that’s fine!
This is my favorite pork recipe. I love it so much, that I am making it for Christmas this year and can’t wait!
What can I substitute for the corn starch? My.husband is allergic.
I’d just omit it, the sauce will be thinner but it should taste the same otherwise!
Try potato starch.
I use Xantham gum
Yes, this is the best tenderloin recipe ever! A lot of time cooking in a crock pot makes it more boiled but not this one. I followed the recipe exactly using extra care to sear on all sides. I used canned chicken broth and next time will add the left over broth to the finished cooked juices to make more gravy. This was a perfect Sunday afternoon dinner with mashed potatoes, cole slaw and green beans!
Very good! I cooked one tenderloin at 1 lb for two hours on low and not quite enough. Super tender and great sauce!
Made your dish tonight, was fantastic!
Will definitely make this again. Thanks.
Let me preface this by saying I never comment on food blogs, no matter how much I love the food. Saying that, I just want to let you know that this was the best crockpot meal I’ve ever made. I am absolutely in love with this recipe. I didn’t even sear the tenderloin and it still turned out perfect. I also threw in some carrots and added a little more cornstarch for a thicker gravy. I also took out the tenderloin and made the gravy right there in the crockpot for a less messy cleanup. Thank you for this recipe. It was perfect.